This Morning

I was at a leadership meeting early this morning where my dad took some time to talk about a passage in 1 Samuel 23.1-13.
David, as the passage states multiple times, inquired of the Lord in every decision. First, I do think it is interesting that David asked the Lord about it after he heard that the city was being invaded. It was not David's responsibility to work out the fate of the city, yet God opened a door before David and he seized the opportunity to listen to the Lord. The reason David knew that he was supposed to help the city came from his prayer inquiring the Lord about his role in the city's future.

As the story carries on David asks his men what they think and they discourage David from committing to help this city. They think it would be an unwise choice for him to act out in this manner. So David inquires of the Lord again, and once again, God tells David to go to the city and rescue them from the Philistines. The second idea that struck me is that David went against what the rest of his men advised and again inquired the Lord in what he should do. By the way, David's men went with him in unity. They trusted his leadership even when it went against what they wanted or thought was right. They supported David and his relationship with the Most High God.

Prayer. David turned to God at every point in this story. Even at the end, when he escapes the city, David prayed because without prayer he would have fallen at the hand of Saul in that city...interestingly enough, it was a city with walls. David was putting himself into a bad situation by going to a city where he could be held captive. Good warriors never placed themselves within a walled fortress where they would be boxed in. Especially considering that Saul was going after him. But when David followed God, he could be sure that God would provide for his every need for his obedience in going to the city. This shows me that if I obey the Lord and do what he wants, I will always have the resources (physical, mental, emotional, financial, etc.) to complete the task that God has set before me. Provision will always be there when we obey the Lord.

The point is that David turned to God throughout every crux in this story. The Lord had a word for him every time. Good to know that when we fully rely on God, He will speak to us and show us the way. Prayer is paramount if we are to receive any power in our life and situations. The investment we make to pray pays off in the end, because that is when the power of God is unleashed to do the work of God. Until we pray...

Ravi Zacharias once said,

"God answers every prayer by either giving what is asked for or reminding the petitioner that God's provision is built on His wisdom and executed in His time. In persistant fervent prayer, God prepares the soil of one's heart to make room for the seed of His answer, from which will flower an alignment with His will."